NJE

GB basses are stunning, I have had the pleasure of playing 3 now and all mind blowing. They are expensive but for what you are getting they are worth it for what you get. Just to sidetrack slightly, Bubinga 5, I was in yesterday playing Marks Spitfire too, did you actually play it yesterday? If so did you notice that the EQ on it was a little odd? When i plugged in the treble and bass seemed to do very little, but the mid control had the normal range. Might just have been the amp but I couldnt get the range out of it like I did last time I played it. I love this bass and am actually thinking of going back to 4 string and selling my Overwater J to buy it just a stunning bass. [quote name='bubinga5' post='1022610' date='Nov 13 2010, 04:58 PM']yes played the ONE in around about sound in cheltenham...it was awsome...very special instrument this bass... here is the link...spoke to him yesterday and hes selling...light as a feather and so many tones available.... if i could i would... [url="http://www.aroundaboutsound.co.uk/product_details.asp?p_id=3290"]http://www.aroundaboutsound.co.uk/product_...s.asp?p_id=3290[/url][/quote]

[quote name='tauzero' post='1011858' date='Nov 4 2010, 11:42 AM']I've just found an article on the subject - [url="http://content.yudu.com/A1pppt/MIPNOV2010/resources/30.htm"]an interview with Chris May about the Aspiration series.[/url] But dammit, they don't exist without pictures... [/quote] Thanks for posting that, I have been keeping and eye out for developments on these new guitars. The prototypes in the pictures look very good, very overwater and they dont have that nasty headstock that the previous prototypes had. That PJ Jazz still looks excellent, I am praying there is going to be a 5 string Jazz coming.

Congratulations, this was mine before Leprechaun, great bass. As far as I can remember (could be very very wrong here) the controls are: Bottom two - Volume (pull pot to make the bridge single coil) and pickup blend Top three - 3 Band EQ, Bass Middle and Treble I presume but you will soon figure out the order if not. Not sure what you mean by frequency centres but if you have any questions ring Overwater, Chris May remembered this bass when I called him about it. I remember the EQ is very subtle on this bass, it wont give you extreme EQ. I was on the verge of having Overwaters new preamp put in before trading it, might be worth a look at if you find the EQ is not doing what you need. Enjoy the bass, I love my current Overwater.

I agree with the other comments, £2000 is a lot to spend on an experiment. You can get some stunning basses second hand for a lot less. I picked up an Overwater 5 for £800 a while back, hand built stunning build quality and less than a new USA Fender. I cant remeber the scale length now but you can pick up a Sadowsky Metro for £1500 on here, and some of the new Dingwall fanned fret basses are well under 2k. I would say look for a 35" scale (or fanned fret Dingwall) especially is you detune and if you do get a 5 string put the 4 string away somewhere or give it to a friend for a while so there is no temptation to play it. I tried 5 string twice, the first time I had one with a 4 string played it a few times but always went back to the safety of 4. In this instace the 5 string was sold and i didnt try again for another 5 years. Second time I bought a five, played only that bass for a 2 weeks solid and then sold my 4 because I didnt see the point in it when you can do the same and more with a 5. I have never looked back. Mark at Bass Direct in Warwick has a huge range of basses in and will sit and talk you through every single one and discuss what you need in a bass.

After a few months of ups and downs with bands (mentioned in another thread) I have found myself needing some more power in the amp department. Normally my set up would have been fine but my drummer has a set up like Mike Portnoy from Dream Theatre (well not any more) and I have a keys player and a mic'd up 3 piece brass section to contend with. So without thinking too hard I headed up to Bass Direct this morning to sample the latest delights Mark has to offer. I played a few bits and pieces and have finally settled on a MarkBass Little Mark II and a EBS Neo 410. Simply massive sounding and LOUD! I have had an EBS cab before and loved it, crystal clear and tight, sometimes a little too clean so the addition of the MarkBass balances things out a little. Watch out brass section! The bonus of going up was trying out some of the best basses out there at the moment. I have played the Nordys and Roscoe's before and both are amazing in every way so just tried a few I had never played before and I was massively suprised by what I played. 1. First thing I saw was a Elrick Platinum 5 string singlecut. It was stunning in every way, B string was clear and tight and the whole bass was so well balanced. Simply one of the nicest basses I have ever played and the first singlecut. To be honest I thought I would really notice the extra bulk of the singlecut but it made no difference to playing and might have helped its fantastic resonance. I think mark is getting in their Jazz inspired basses and i cant wait to try one, Elrick firmly on the list and I usually only like more traditional designs. 2. Sadowsky Metro. Wasnt expecting much for some reason but a very nice bass, nice neck, fantatstic build and resonant, something that I look for in a bass. Generally a fantastic bass and very playable and one of teh nicest Jazz style basses I have played. 3. Alleva Coppolo. Sadly very dissapointing, after a lot of the hype I have read i really wanted this to be the best bass ever. Each to their own of course and everyones opinion and playing is different but I found the sadowsky more comfortable to play and thought it sounded better and had a bit more 'life' to it. Stunning build a looks amazing but did nothing in my hands. Anyway an excellent morning (the amazing bacon baguette from the cafe next door to Bass Direct helped) and Mark couldn't have been more hospitable. I bought secondhand gear which I doubt Mark makes much on, but he was happy to talk and chat, and I was treated like I was spending 10x the ammount. Once again an amazing experience at Bass Direct and massive thanks to Mark, once again showing how shops, not just music shops, should be run.

I have not been on here much recently as I was, and have been, going through a period of complete disinterest in my bass and bands in general and substituted it with mountain bikes! I was playing in two bands up until recently and despite the music being good and the people good to play with I was losing interest fast mostly due to the lack of gigging and practice. One band lost a keys player and did nothing for probably the best part of three months over summer, the other band couldn't get a drummer to turn up at practice or a singer most of the time and we havent practiced in nealry 2 months. So I quit one band last week as I don't have the time to be wasting and I need any band I am in to be making at least a little cash (originals never make money). Because of my lack of enthusiasm and sheer frustration of bands I thought "i dont need all this gear" and because of a lack of funds sold one of my cabs thinking it will be enough for practice as the bands are going nowhere fast. That was about 3 weeks ago and last night I had a practice with the covers band. I fully expected members not to be there, no enthusiasm and no gigs, and I get there prepared to say I am quitting and no longer have the time and energy for being in bands. I get in the room, everyone turns up, we play and it was dynamite. No practice for months and we were all on the ball and playing brand new tunes all the way through first time at a more than adequate level. Not only that, but there are three well paid gigs coming up in the next two months as a warm up! So I find myself supercharged with enthusiasm, wanting to practice more and now looking at replacing the cab I have just sold......here we go again! Why is it that i always seem to get so down about music on the verge of breaking point and selling everything and then something happens and I am right back up again? I have had so many ups and downs with bands and enthusiasm over the years, does it happen to anyone else? is it ever just uncomplicated and easy?

Seth Lakeman - Poor Mans Heaven. Some fantatsic double bass which I can only describe as earthy and haunting. Fantastic music I am on the verge of buying all 5 albums on CD I love it so much.

[quote name='Doddy' post='923832' date='Aug 13 2010, 01:26 PM']His playing on 'Room for Squares' and 'Heavier Things' is great. It's a shame and a surprise that he's not playing with John Mayer anymore-although Sean Hurley is really cool too.[/quote] I saw Shaun Hurley on Mayer's recent tour over here, good player no doubt, but not as interesting as DeLa. Saying that I think JM has tamed his music down a fair bit and it is very different to the tunes on Room for Squares which has a bit more pace and is a bit more complex for lack or a better word. I dont think DeLa could get away with playing like he did on Room for Sqaures on the newer Jm stuff so perhaps it needs someone a bit for tame for the new music.

I see some "heated debate" in the future of this thread I personally think Nicky Wire from the Manics is pretty poor but I think he writes a lot of their stuff or at least lyrics so fair doos.

I am just listening to John Mayer's first live album - 'Any Given Thursday' with David LaBruyere on bass. His tone and playing is just phenominal. His playing is busy but classy and really drives Mayer's tunes on. There is also some fantastic improv sessions particularly during Neon at the end. Go have a listen, great music and a brilliant bass player, a huge insperation for me.

Another recent convert to the world of modular 'small stacks' here. I have been through smaller combos with extension cabs, big combos on their own, and big stack stacks and can honestly say my back and gigging life in general has got better since I ditched big amps and 4x10 and 1x15 rigs. Combos can also weigh a huge ammount like my short experience an SWR Black Beauty showed me. Running an Eden WTX head and two Aguilar GS112 Cabs at the moment. The cabs are a one hand lift and with a lightweight head your laughing. I can do bass, gig bag with head, and one cab in a single trip. Planning on using one cab for practices and two for gigs and I can fit the lot in a small Ford KA it turns out. Its the future!